Growing vanilla in Samoa. Made this in Jan 2022 and an edited version from my FB Live video. Here I will show you some vanilla flowers and beans on my vanilla farm Vaoala Vanilla in Samoa as well as demonstrate how to do looping.
Hi Shelley, i've just started watching your videos on vanilla, and realized how very little i know how to care for the plants, to give you a little background, i live in the Netherlands, and received a couple of vanilla plants about three years ago and have been growing them, they have been growing tremendously, but sadly the bottom leaves are starting to die, i apologize for the long story, but hopefully with your help i can get the plants back on track, i also realize some of the mistakes i have made after watching your videos, for example i have not been looping but just wrapping the plants at the top, once again apologies for the long story, if i were able i would have liked to show a picture, best regards August
Hi August, thats wonderful that you have found my videos helpful to you. I am happy to help you as best as I can and you can DM on my FB page @vaoalavanilla to send your photos. If the leaves are dying down the bottom, it will be mainly due to not looping and creating a healthy ground root system for the vine.
Muy interesante, la vainilla es una de las muchas especies que tengo en mente para cuando me asiente en la Amazonía del Perú, tanto nativas como exóticas. Voy a escuchar con atención todos y cada uno de tus vídeos. Gracias.
Hi there, sorry for the delayd reply. Unfortunately I am not exporting vanilla vines outside of Samoa yet. I will advise everyone when I start doing that though. Thank you for your interest in my videos though. Regards, Shelley
Love the use of coconut husks for not only mulch, but holding the vine so its roots can take hold! In Samoa, do you not have wet/dry seasons that stress the plant and stimulate flowering?
Hi, Is looping a method of allowing the plant to have a new point of nutrient take up through a 2nd root system in the ground rather than the whole vine relying on the original rooting ? A bit like pumpkin vines where the vines need several points of take up of nutrient.
Aloha, Shelley! I'm a learning hobbyist trying to beautify the exterior of my home. My vanilla babies took some wind damage and I'm trying to figure out how to turn what didn't kill them into something that makes them stronger. They established themselves over the past nine months and had looked very healthy with robust growth (relatively quick from what I've read and been told by other plant enthusiasts). How long should we allow the vine to grow before looping (if there's an ideal length at all)? I recently had a couple vines get torn off the wall they were growing on due to high winds and their tips are close to the ground again. Should I loop them? Only about 4 meters long total (fell from about 12ft and now are attached up 6ft with the rest dangling) and now I'm wondering if I should loop them both or try looping one and attaching the other back to the wall (growing off a dead tree fern trunk in a corner of two walls and attached to the walls behind it). I'm tempted to experiment and loop only one. Your advice may sway me to loop both or neither. Mahalo in advance for your time and knowledge!
Hello Shelly, I'm interested to know how much shade to create for vanilla in a place with a very bright and hot sun, 40%, 60% or 100%? Thank you for your lovely videos.
Sorry Dan my keyboard was playing up with my first reply. The ideal shade to create is between 60-70%. Thank you for watching my videos and I am pleased to learn they are helpful to you. Good luck with your vanilla journey.
Dear Shelley, Does the color of the shade provided for vanilla matter? Some people suggest only white color. Some people use black or green. What is your experience regarding this? @@shelleyburich-vaoalavanill6124
Can you share information about your new shade house? What percentage of shade are you using? who makes the frame? What irrigation system do you use if any?
Talofa Richard. If you would like the design for the shade house, with measurements etc., there will be a small fee to pay for access. I have used 50% shade...which was the only one available at the time of building it. My husband built the structure, welded all the posts etc. I do not have an irrigation system installed. I live in a location where we get more rainfall %.
@@shelleyburich-vaoalavanill6124 Thank you, I would be interested in the plans. I live on Kauai and although we do receive a lot of rainfall, there are hot summer days that I would like to irrigate. I am being told to use 70% shade cloth and just want to make sure it isn’t too much shade.
@@RichardBrownKauai 50-70% shade is recommended and I would suggest 60-65% as ideal. 70% can be too much as you say. Email me at shelley@vaoalavanlla.com if you wish to progress further on access to the plan design. Good suggestion on an Irrigation system. I give this advice to new vanilla growers on the lowlands and in dryer locations in Samoa too.
Hello Shelly. Generally what is the annual rainfall like on your island? I kind of feel rainfall also plays an important part in success of vanilla Business. What could be the right amount of say average annual rainfall suitable for Vanilla farming?
Hi Charlis...you are correct in saying rainfall plays an important part in the success of growing vanilla. Vanilla cultivation requires a temperature range between 20 to 30°C and an annual precipitation comprised between 2,000 and 3,000 mm. I am lucky that Samoa falls within the geographic band of suitability for vanilla production and that I live up in the mountains of Samoa where rainfall is good and I don't have to give extra irrigation for my vanilla. For farmers living at sea level and have less rainfall, I advise them to place an irrigation system to grow vanilla. When you see the ground mulch material looking dry...it is time to irrigate.
Hi Shelly. Thank you so much for the very important explanations. I think I am a bit unlucky here, the annual average rainfall here in San Cristobal (Makira) Island, Solomon Islands is around 3000mm to 5000mm. But I will have a try. Worth trying.
Hi Sam, if you live in Samoa - yes, I sell vine cuttings. I don't sell them internationally as I have not enquired yet as to what the quarantine requirements are in order to send vanilla vines outside of Samoa.